The Retreat (A Magic P.I. Novel)

The Retreat (A Magic P.I. Novel)
Ross Malde
Lulu Press
Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
Reviewed by Eugen M. Bacon

Much narrative and exposition, telling not showing, and a sporadic splash of affected dialogue remove The Retreat from a phenomenal first novel to abstract crime fiction. No real protagonist to identify with, no specific role or character. A professional edit would have honed good descriptions herein into something excellent, perhaps a nip here or there to produce tighter writing. Many a writer would look back at their first manuscript with foreboding; this story carries good bones.
The assault of a woman in an antique store becomes one of several mystifying deaths. A body in a foggy cliff, and then another in a crate combine to catapult The Retreat into a mystery novel. When a bunch of clairvoyants begin sensing past or future crime, sometimes offence in progress, the tale dives into another wave length. Psychics dream in color and clarity, the shock of victims or perpetrators enough to sink them into spells. One "worm" killer invades solo. Another "traveler" goes large scale, assigning missions to victims no longer lucid. FBI action adds a good crop of tension in a chase for the executioners. This novel is full house, a loaded cast. More intrigue from Ross Malde in future, I'm sure.